Bobby Wagner did not burst onto the scene right out of the gate, but he really hasn't had a bad game yet at this level. Game after game, he is getting better and better -- and more productive.

Seattle has now made him an every-down linebacker (earlier in the season, he left the field on passing downs), and they have no regrets about making that promotion.

................But by no means is Wagner freeloading here. He has fantastic range and explosive movement skills without sacrificing leverage or power at the point of attack. He has developed into an astute blitzer to go along with very good skills as a coverage player and run-stuffer. Wagner will only get better, particularly in coverage, as that can be a very difficult transition for rookie linebackers against tight ends, running backs and wideouts on crossing patterns.

An honorable mention before, this is Wagner's first appearance in the top 10. My hunch is he stays here for quite some time.

6 - Russell Wilson, Seahawks QB (third round, No. 75)Wilson played his best game as a professional as his Seahawks upset New England in Seattle. He was especially impressive to open the game and to close it out. Wilson's 46-yard bomb to Sidney Rice was the difference, and overall, Wilson was successful going downfield. Maybe Seattle is taking the restraints off Wilson to some degree now, which is something I have been calling for since the season began. This guy is a playmaker.

8 - Bobby Wagner, Seahawks LB (second round, No. 47)Now an every-down player, Wagner had a huge game in Week 6, registering 14 tackles in Seattle's upset win over the Patriots. This is Wagner's first appearance in my top 10 and is yet another reason why the Seahawks have one of the best rookie classes in the league this year.

Nice...They have a segment on the NFLN show NFLAM that's called "Hello my name is..." where three of them name a young player who has yet to make a name for themselves that they think will make a name for themselves, they each give an argument for "their" guy and the fourth person picks the player they think should go on the board. Both Wagner and Wilson are on the board from previous episodes. I didn't ever see the episodes they were named, since I only get to catch about 30 minutes of the show, but they are both on there.

We have had excellent rookie contributions every year since Pete and John have taken over. How often does a team have such strong rookie contributions year in and year out?

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”

Missing_Clink wrote:To get a starting QB and MLB in the same draft is pretty remarkable

Not to mention that the previous draft we got a starting OLB and CB (Wright and Sherman) and the year before that we got Kam and Earl, the best safety pair in the NFL, in the same draft. It is really amazing what we've been able to do drafting defense these past 3 years. Offensively we've got solid contributors, but we are drafting multiple stars in each draft defensively

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”

Missing_Clink wrote:To get a starting QB and MLB in the same draft is pretty remarkable

Not to mention that the previous draft we got a starting OLB and CB (Wright and Sherman) and the year before that we got Kam and Earl, the best safety pair in the NFL, in the same draft. It is really amazing what we've been able to do drafting defense these past 3 years. Offensively we've got solid contributors, but we are drafting multiple stars in each draft defensively

Missing_Clink wrote:To get a starting QB and MLB in the same draft is pretty remarkable

Not to mention that the previous draft we got a starting OLB and CB (Wright and Sherman) and the year before that we got Kam and Earl, the best safety pair in the NFL, in the same draft. It is really amazing what we've been able to do drafting defense these past 3 years. Offensively we've got solid contributors, but we are drafting multiple stars in each draft defensively

Seriously. And they've managed to build incredible depth, which was a problem with us before. Years ago, a starting linebacker leaving in the FA was a huge setback... Now, does anybody even miss Hawthorne?

Throwdown wrote:No Irvin love huh? even though Irvin's been the best pick so far.

Give it time, my homey, give it time.

Yea, by the end of the year, people (meaning non seahawks fan people) will look on this pick as a really good move. The fact that he's only a part time player with zero 'starts' kind of keeps him a little under the radar, but when all is said and done, he'll get his props

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”

There's only seven guys left from when PC took over. This rebuild is ridiculous. The PC/Schneid machine is like some Lovecraftian Unnamable Horror. It looked good on pape the first two years, but now they're starting to win and we've got the 1 defense. People, this is some exciting shit.

Lords of Scythia wrote:There's only seven guys left from when PC took over. This rebuild is ridiculous. The PC/Schneid machine is like some Lovecraftian Unnamable Horror. It looked good on pape the first two years, but now they're starting to win and we've got the 1 defense. People, this is some exciting shit.

::D:Y:N:A:S:T:Y::

This is madness!

The Cthulu Defense: The eleven tentacled monster that abuses the other team until they drive them batshit crazy.

Richard Sherman doesn't just wanna get in your head, he wants to build a vacation home there.

Not to mention that we just pick up some undrafted free agents like Browner and Baldwin. It kind of makes you excited for ever off-season too!

I think I have to agree that Wagner has been the most important pick from the draft, and to think that these guys had the cajones to make that pick and wait til the third round to pick up RW! Damn, if I knew then what I know now I probably would have been calling for them to pick RW in the 1st round! To think that our FO is so smart and has such nerves of steel that they could pick up two other players prior to picking their franchise QB (which I think RW is) is just dumbfounding. PC & JS, I don't say it enough, but I love you guys!

Missing_Clink wrote:To get a starting QB and MLB in the same draft is pretty remarkable

Not to mention that the previous draft we got a starting OLB and CB (Wright and Sherman) and the year before that we got Kam and Earl, the best safety pair in the NFL, in the same draft. It is really amazing what we've been able to do drafting defense these past 3 years. Offensively we've got solid contributors, but we are drafting multiple stars in each draft defensively

Pete also put to rest concerns about him turning us into USC-North. I feared the punkass Taylor Mays was going to be a Hawk (shudder to think).